Friday, March 6, 2009

I haven't done a molding project in a while and my molding mojo was a callin' -- I took this opportunity to take pictures a long the way to show you how to pick out, cut and hang molding. (LOTS of pictures ahead!)

Picking out molding

I use a ton of thin, picture frame-type molding. I use it for accents everywhere. (Click the picture on the side to see!)

I've found that the easiest stuff to use is this:

It's VERY lightweight, very easy to cut, and bendy. At Lowe's, there's a whole section of it at the end of the aisle. It's sooooo cheap -- these eight foot lengths are $4 each. They have just about any type you could need -- I've used chair rail from this section, as well as skinny flat molding.

It holds up great, it cuts like butta, and the best part - you don't have to paint it when you are done -- it's WHITE. (My favorite part.)

Cutting molding

Let me introduce you to my BFF -- my little miter box!

You can find this -- saw included for about $8. You don't need a massive, electric saw -- just this and some arm muscle. Even with the thin molding, you will sweat just a little...it's good for you. :)

The miter box gives you all the angles you'll need. Lay your molding in, figure out the direction you want the angle to go, then hold it down and cut:

The saw fits inside the angles, so it does it all for you...pretty much:

To make a box, lay your cut piece down and figure out the angle of the next piece:

After a while, you will be able to eye it and tell what angle you want. I think I'm fairly smart...(no comments please) but even I have to lay them down like this every once and awhile:

Then lay it in the miter box the opposite way, and cut away.

Voila!!:

If you are doing squares along the bottom of a wall, and your pieces will be the same lengths, there is no need to measure and cut all of them separately. Hold your first one up to the other pieces of molding:

Then mark with a pencil where the end is, and use that as your guide (over and over) to cut the additional moldings:

Installing molding

Hellllooooooo LOVAH...

You don't NEED a nail gun. But you will WANT a nail gun after the first shot. Ummm...it's AMAZING. Power...instant gratification...freakin' fabulous.

Before my Dad donated this beauty to my cause, I used a hammer and nails. It's easily done with these, it just takes longer. You can also use liquid nails -- I've used this as well. Use a THIN line of it along the back of the molding though, and make darn sure you know where you want it before it sets.

To hang your first piece, nail right into the middle of the molding, then hold up a level to make sure all is well before you nail in the ends:

For the rest of the pieces, match up the corners, then put your first nail into the end:

Then use your level to nail in the rest of the piece:

In the end, if the corners don't match up perfectly...it's OK! Fill in the holes and corners with spackle/putty and you'll be set!:

I. cannot. say. it. enough. It transforms your home:

I'll show you this latest molding project after I do a few more things to it! Have a great weekend!